Royalty
by Gelasia
Summary: A continuation of Princess Nine after dvd six, the next two years of highschool and the continued pursuit of Koshien! Warning; spoilers for the series if you haven't seen all of it! R & R!
1. We will return

This takes place RIGHT after DVD 6. Spoilers are QUITE apparent. No complaining to me bout it all flames will be used to roast marshmellows and I'll laugh merrily and do a fun rain dance around the flames. But I felt so inspired by Princess Nine I had to write this. This is more than a one chapter thing also. I'm hoping to make it into a sort of... well what goes on in the next two years of Princess Nine.. hai hai! YEAAAH BABY and even if two more seasons come out.. *slams palm into fist* I shall continue to write this story! I shall complete it! I have no plotline yet! YIKES! Thats bad.. yeah.. um.. anyways.. enjoy! Review please! I need confidence! *beg* 

oh yeah!! Princess Nine doesn't belong to me. 

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They had lost. Ryo blankly stared at her hands, her eyes not quite seeing anything. It was over for the year. All over. Her left hand clenched into a tight fist. Her lightning ball hadn't been good enough. Her trump card had finally failed her. Kisaragi would go on towards their own goal of Koshien. Getting closer and closer with each base that Hiroki touched, but Kisaragi girls would have to only train for next year. There was nothing left for them this year. 

Idly she recalled hearing somewhere that success was sweestest for those who hadn't succeeded. How true that was. She couldn't think of a situation where that rang more true than the position she was in right now. Her heart felt dead, even though only a few moments earlier she had been filled with the determination and confidence to see Hiroki loose, to prove that she was greater and only moments before that her heart was bursting with mindboggling love for the boy. 

Now though, It felt as if the entire thing hadn't really happened to her. She was merely a face in the crowd watching everything that had happened. That was until Izumi of all people gathered Ryo into a hug of comfort. With that move, seeing a sad peaceful smile upon the features of her rival, Ryo's heart suddenly constricted. Everything hit her full force, her knees barely could keep the slight girl standing from the all the emotions blasting against her in great waves. Bitterness, anger, frustration, but above all determination. Perhaps Hiroki had hit her lightning ball.. perhaps they were not destined to play Koshien this year. But.. there were still two more years left. Right? And next time, no silly emotions would get the better of Ryo's lightning ball. Hope.. As Izumi led her off the field, a small smile played against Ryo's lips. Next year. She promised herself. 

_Next year Hiroki. Next year.. Watch out. I. will. beat. you. _

****************************** 

"Ganmo-chan?" Ryo spun around and grinned when she saw who it was. Not that she didn't know, who else used that nickname? 

"Takasugi-kun!" The boy smiled back at her, and got off his bike before sitting next to her on the grass. 

"I had a feeling you were going to be here.." he said quietly, gesturing to the baseball field where they had first met and competed against eachother. Ryo had come here after the game that day, it gave her a chance to clear her thoughts, reflect and make plans for kicking her love's derriere next year in the tournaments. Her lightning ball had to be perfected next year... if only her father was still around to teach her.. Ryo shook her head slightly, no thinking of that now. She devoted her attention to Hiroki. 

"How did you know where I was?" She asked curiously. . 

"The power of love." He responded grinning in confidence, she tilted her head and raised an eyebrow before he sighed. 

"Okay okay, so I went to your house and your mother said you were out here.." He admited sheepishly. Ryo looked back down at the field, her eyes unconciously focusing directly on the pitchers mound. It seemed just like yesterday, coming to play replacement for the ace pitcher for the guys. All the victories that she was a part of on this field. The celebrations where her team mates would drive to her mother's bar and down the sake. She owed so much to that team, her father had died when she was too young to truly teach her how to pitch correctly. It had all been the guys after they saw her throw the ball on the fateful day. This had been the field where she had beaten Takasugi-kun. "Ganmo-chan..." the boy sitting next to her started. Ryo tilted her head to look at him, he seemed a bit nervous. 

"Hmm?" He sighed and looked up at the night sky. 

"Will you come to the rest of my games for this season?" He asked. Ryo blushed. 

"Of course! Not only to support the boy I love, but to gather data on a team that we will beat next year." she said her voice light, but determined. A light pink graced her cheeks. Hiroki laughed and nodded. 

"We'll see Ganmo-chan.. we'll see." She grinned at him before turning back to look at the field. The sun had finally set, a chilly wind swept across the pair, causing involentary shivers to run down Ryo's back. 

"Ganmo-chan.." Hiroki started again, " Izumi told me you saw what happened yesterday.." Ryo sighed and nodded. 

"It's alright Takasugi-kun-" 

"Hiroki.. Ganmo-chan.. I'd hope we'd be close enough for you to call me Hiroki... ahh.. or maybe a nickname! Something about my good looks or endless charm..." he trailed off. Ryo glared at him in mock annoyance. Honestly the boy was so arrogant! She had to deal with this as her heart's desire? Oi vey. He smiled as he pulled out the hankerchief she had embroidered. 

"and she obviously returned my good luck charm to me..that's how I got the homerun today of course.." Ryo smiled slightly, touching the medal she had slipped back around her neck after the game. 

"Well.." He started, standing up and offering his hand down to the girl who immediately accepted the help up, "it's getting late.. I'll walk you home Ganmo-chan." 

***************************************** 

Koharo fiddled with the straps of her bag as she sat in the taxi that was currently taking her back home to see her father. After that final hit in the game, she had given her team mates all a quick hug before dashing off to pack. The anxious girl did consider her friends, and spared enough time to leave a short note on her bed explaining concisely what had happened to her father, and that she had gone to check on them. The girl smiled as she considered each girl's reaction to the note. Yoko would complain about her gall to leave at such a time, Mao, Kanako, and Hikaru would hope that her father was okay. Nene would compare Koharo's story to a manga that the manager had read, Yuki would only grace the others with a sad smile (that before Fifi had been lost would have halted the time continuium), Seira would question why one needed parents anyways, Izumi would probably say nothing and start practicing. As for Ryo, Ryo probably understood the most, having lost her father at an early age. 

Koharo hadn't noticed that this quiet reflection had sped up time so soon the taxi was pulled infront of her familier house, the salt in the breeze was apparent and welcome to the homesick girl. Her stomach played a few flipflops, due to nervousness to her father's condition, and excitement in seeing her family again. Perhaps taking a short detour to make sure her boys were still keeping up with their practicing, even with the loss of a coach. Apprehension filled her soul, coating her mouth and making it hard to breathe as she stared at her house long after the taxi driver had been paid and had driven away. Was her father alright? An image of the message he had faxed to her flashed in her mind and she smiled before grabbing her bag and stepping onto her property. A faint barking made it to her ears and her heart soared. It was good to be home. 

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Reviewwwwwwwww!!!! 


	2. Championship

Yay reviews! I feel so loved! Oh! I should post this... Mai good friend who goes by on AIM as HBsweetmystical1 wants to start an rpg of Princess Nine! But we need people to help out! That's why I'm posting here! All you wonderful Princess Nine fans please I/m her or myself (and I'll direct you to her... Hehe aim name in my bio) and yeah! Oh god… this has my first description of baseball in it.. I'm not much of a baseball guru so hopefully it's... it's okay... *dies* 

Dedication: My friend Abyssesartisan who will kill me unless I finish this fanfic! Love ya! Disclaimer: Princess Nine doesn't belong to me, or I'd have Hiroki running around in nothing but a codpiece. ^_^;;;; 

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It was raining again. Izumi frowned at her window in annoyance, wishing that with a glare the clouds would go away so the girl could practice. She tried once more to mentally make the rain stop, narrowing her eyes and forcing her face into the nastiest glare she possibly could, the one that had some of her teachers shivering in their shoes. Obviously Mother Nature was not so impressed, as it only began to rain even harder, with occasional booms of thunder, and random flashes of lightening. Izumi sighed and got up from the window, idly wandering around her room, giving the medals glances, memories of how each medal was won forming as she looked at each. But these medals did not gently bring to mind past triumphs. The triumphs that normally would make one smile in remembrance only served as painful reminders that not once, to any of those many victories, did her mother attend. It was remembering memories such as these that made Izumi practice frantically, obsessively, dangerously. Her mind going blank, easily forgetting the feeling of the walls of a cage trapping her. She frowned in thought, eyeing the bat in the corner, where once her tennis racquets used to dwell, idly going over why she had decided to give up her tennis in the first place. It had nothing to do with the team needing her, no, nor did it have to do with liking the game of baseball or just being good at it. She remembered a conversation she had with Hiroki while the baseball team was playing its first game. 

Hiroki had mentioned that some of the baseball games overran with the tennis tournaments. He had wondered aloud which Izumi's mother would attend. Something inside of the girl had just snapped. She mindlessly dropped the racquet to the ground and walked, as if in a trance towards the locker room near the baseball diamond. She barely remembered putting on the uniform, grabbing a bat and walking out to help the team in the nick of time, knowing full well that now her mother would have to pay attention to her. Knowing that finally she'd get some of the attention she deserved. Ryo could only be the center of attention half the time. But the ace pitcher could do only that... pitch... there was an entirely other aspect.. When it was the girls turn at the bat... Izumi would shine. Then Izumi could show her mother what she had missed out on while her daughter was growing up. A smile of triumph lit up Izumi's features. With a win at Koshien her mother would truly appreciate the lady Izumi was becoming… the lady she already was. 

Koshien… 

After the loss to the boys it felt as if the girls had to go even farther to get to their goal. She could say that at the time she truly hated Hiroki for hitting that home run, he had become an obstacle she could not surpass. Her thoughts turned to she who had thrown the lightning ball and she immediately walked over to gather the shocked girl in her arms in a hug. It was at this game where Izumi finally learned how to be a team mate. The idea of what it truly meant to belong to a team that the other girls had been trying to tell her ever since the season began had finally clicked within the girl's brain. Team mates didn't just support each other on the field, but off as well. It was a family. And Izumi realized, that it was something she had been secretly wishing for, for most of her life. She doubted that she would ever become truly close to her nine team mates. Izumi was not the kind of person who freely gave her trust out as a certain Hayakawa Ryo did, but she also knew that if trouble too deep for her to handle on her own should fall upon her shoulders, they would support her no matter what. Her team gave her something her mother never had. Izumi smiled as she remembered something she had read on a poster in one of her teacher's rooms. "There was no 'i' in team." With that she glanced out the window and growled in frustration. For the love of God when would it stop raining?! 

Unlike her disgruntled team mate, Nene was perfectly cheerful even with the dreary weather. Rain or shine, nothing dowsed the manager's cheerful spirit. On this rainy day one could find her seated on a high stool leaning over a bar at the edge of the large open kitchen. She was leaning over, flipping through another cookbook, pausing every once in a while to jot down a few ideas. It was never too early to start planning the year's treats. Plus that American woman... What was her name? Marsha? Martha? Mary? whatever... had just come out with a new cookbook with delectable treats Nene was 110% positive her team would die for. 

Coach had even mentioned in an offhanded way the girls may get more team mates! Nene couldn't be sure as to whether or not he was kidding or not. Perhaps he had just been more drunk than normal and was spouting nonsense. His breath did smell more than normal. One couldn't really tell with him, and Nene wasn't about to waste her time debating when there were many more important things in her life, like getting the latest Rumiko Takahashi manga! She had completely fallen in love with that one about the dog demon and that girl who was sucked into a well, though it was rather difficult to try and apply it to real life. 

The girl hastily pushed one silvery curl out of her eyes and looked at her neatly written list and smiling gleefully before folding it crisply and putting it in a pocket. She had decided the team had taken up enough time on the rainy day, now she would rush upstairs to read the latest comic she had received from her father. 

The manager tried to ignore how loud her steps sounded echoing on the marble floors of the overly large mansion. The dead silence and darkened house merely served to remind her how lonely it was without mother around to keep her company. Especially with Father always away on business, he never had any time to spend with her any more. She swallowed the lump in her throat, pushed away the loneliness and tried to look at the bright side, Perhaps she'd get to see him this weekend, though who could be sure? Ah well... Takahashi awaited. 

A Few weeks later the 10 girls of the dream baseball team could be found at Koshien stadium… in the stands of course to watch Kisaragi Boys pull out an economy sized can of whup ass against... Rinkai. Yes the Koshien veterans that the girls had beaten in the first place! Ryo, in part to an extra ticket Hiroki's grandfather just happened to have, was seated in the front row right next to the Kisaragi Dugout. She was so close she could overhear the conversations the coach was having with the players. 

"Popcorn?" Ryo spun around to see Hiroki's kindly Grandfather holding out a bag to her. She smiled, sat back, grabbed a handful of kernels and relaxed. ****** 

The game had been close, Rinkai had obviously improved, and for some reason Kisaragi hadn't managed to absolutely trounce the team to a pulp. Both teams had been making silly mistakes which one wouldn't expect from the two teams that had gotten to the Championships! The pitcher had held his own for Rinkai, and it seemed only Hiroki could hit anything the man threw! The same went for Rinkai, only a few select batters could hit the Kisaragi's pitches. Now it was bottom of the ninth (No this WON'T be clichéd) with Kisaragi at bat, with no outs, but no runs and the game was tied. Hiroki was going to be second up to bat, and was warming up. 

He suddenly looked up, meeting Ryo's eyes. He smiled mischievously before strutting over, leaning up to look at her. Ryo frowned as she stood up to peer into his face, a stern lecture was soon pouring from her lips. 

"Hiroki shouldn't you be practicing, it's almost your turn to-" 

"Kiss me." 

"WHAT?!" She shrieked in violation, blushing heavily. He gave her a slow easy grin. 

"Kiss me." He repeated that cocky grin never leaving his face. She glared in indignation. 

"Hiroki stop kidding around!" She whispered, noticing they were creating quite a stir in the stands and on the field. The batter before him had managed to walk and the umpire was gazing over at that way, trying to look stern but amusement clearly written in his eyes. Ryo leaned forward to hiss an order to her arrogant batter to get his butt on the field but before she could even open her mouth he had stretched up and brushed his lips against hers for a brief moment before he was gone and at bat, leaving Ryo frozen in the spot. The first pitch came in, a sly grin only seen when playing baseball lit up the boy's face as he swung. This was too easy. A deep fly ball, a 100% guarantee to fly outta the park.. If only… Hiroki's eyes narrowed and he mumbled a small curse under his breath. Down the line… "Foul Ball!" The batter decided to blame the foul ball on the dazed feeling he was left with after kissing his Ganmo-chan. A quick scan to that area of the stands confirmed that yup... She was still frozen stiff, though a hand had managed to find it's way to her mouth and was rubbing it softly. She was still standing, a bit hunched over, eyes glazed. Hiroki smirked in pride before shifting his line of sight back to the pitcher. This time...that ball was gonna be outta here. 

The next hit went out dead center and it appeared it was going to win this game for Kisaragi, thought it was a bit low… the centerfielder had leapt against the wall, his glove stretched out. The crowd was in tense silence watching the ball's silent course over the field. Hiroki narrowed his eyes, squinting to see what had happened.. was it good? The centerfielder jumped to the ground, glove close to his stomach. 

Damn it! Did he have the freakin ball or not? Hiroki wanted to scream in frustration the crowd started cheering but he couldn't figure for the life of him whether or not it was for his hit or if the fielder had caught the blasted ball. His eyes trailed to his team mate on first.. But.. He was no longer on first.. His head swiveled back to the fielder to see him holding up an empty glove. Immediately the batter leapt up into the air from joy and skipped his way around the diamond back to an excited team at the end. 

But the best moment of this day wasn't when his team lifted him up on their shoulders, nor was it when they had received their medals, or was it the defeated look of the other team... But it was when he looked to the stands and the only thing he could see was the pride and love shining in Ryo's eyes. 

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REVIEWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! *squeal* 


	3. Training

Wooooah.. been forever ne? Gomen nasai! I'm living in Japan now and I think that has something to do with my lateness. Who the hell thought I'd ever get a social life? O.o certainly not me! Anyways.. the plotline is coming out nicely, although next chapter will be very strange.. very strange indeed. You meet one of the OC's I'm bringing into this sucker.. and the main antagonist! Yay!! I'm also bringing in a few love interests for the girls - which should be interesting.. hehehehe.. anyways.. please review! Gomen again for suffering writers block *bows*  
  
"Seira!" A voice called, the redheaded girl turned around, waving slightly to her team mate who was running to catch up to her. It was the beginning of a new term, September 1st and the Coach had sent out notices letting all the girls know that practice was starting up as well. They had been given a break since the game against Kisaragi. Some how Seira got the feeling that the notice wasn't actually from that drunken old pervert, and was actually sent out by the chairman or her lacky/secretary Yanagida. Either way, it was good to be back for practice even though she could make do without the damn skirt necessary for school. (She already got in trouble enough about never wearing those stupid frilly bowties.)  
  
"Have a nice break?" Ryo asked as she fell into step with the sprinter. Seira shrugged.  
  
"Eh, it was so damn boring. If anything baseball gives me something to do." She bit out, 'and it gets me away from my stupid parents.' She finished in her head. Ryo shook her head and laughed.  
  
"I suppose one could look at it that way, I've been practicing in the morning, before I had to help mom open shop." The pitcher explained. Her fingers curled up into a fist in front of her face.  
  
"This year we'll do it. Takasugi-kun is going down!" She exclaimed, Seira rolled her eyes. Those two had the oddest relationship in the world, the more they loved each other the more they wanted to beat each other. Weird. Ryo's face suddenly turned serious. "I was thinking of giving up my position as Captain." That one made the second baseman choke.  
  
"Whaaaat?"  
  
"I think the girls should vote on it, Coach just used a ladder game, so it was just luck that I was chosen." Ryo murmured softly, recalling how much Izumi had actually held the team together, whether it was from her amazing stunts on the field or her rather cruel observations off it. Ryo felt that she had really only brought a lot of grief onto the team, especially during the semi-finals. Seira shook her head.  
  
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking then you obviously aren't thinking. Besides, even if everyone voted you'd still be captain. Ryo you're an idiot." She grumbled, shaking her head. It was too damn early to be supportive. Ryo tilted her head to the side before smiling.  
  
"I suppose I'll just have to believe you." Ryo finally said quietly. Seira shook her head.  
  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Seira grumbled, rolling her eyes. Ryo grinned.  
  
"Any time."  
  
"Ganmo-chan!" A voice called as Hiroki flew by on a bike, only to come to a screeching halt in front of the pair. Seira looked from Ryo to Hiroki and shook her head, walking by deciding to leave the lovers at whatever the hell they were gonna do. Seira instantly killed the shot of envy she felt well up inside - it's not that she wanted hiroki, that boy was so damn cocky, plus anyone who wasn't blind deaf and stupid could see he was completely wrapped around Ryo's pinky finger. More, it was that Ryo had someone like that to care for her and Seira didn't. She sure as hell didn't want some stupid simpering foolish love to get in her way. Right? ******  
  
"I .am. so.. out . of shape.." Hikaru grumbled as the girls ran around the diamond for what seemed to be the millionth time.  
  
"Probably eating too many okiyaminaki with a certain someone." Yoko sang. The other girls laughed as Hikaru's face turned bright red.  
  
"The jerk, he got me so fat." She grumbled, inwardly smiling at the last date she had had with Seishiro Natsume. He was such a good guy, always eager to listen and help out with any problem you might have, she was lucky to have him as a boyfriend. although.. sometimes she still got a little worried that he still liked Ryo, no matter how many times he assured her that they were just good friends. The girls stopped running finally, and began on the stretching, following the whistle being blown by Nene.  
  
"God it's good to have something to do again." Seira grunted as they started a butterfly stretch. A few of the girls laughed. Ryo turned to Koharu and smiled.  
  
"How was your trip back home Koharu?" She asked. The batter's face shone.  
  
"I got a huge scolding from Dad first thing." She answered, "but he looks better, healthier than Zenji told me on the phone." She explained.  
  
"Is she more of a slave driver this year or is it just me?" Yoko whined, jerking her head towards their manager.  
  
"Just you. Stop whining. Maybe if you worked as much as you whined you'd be a better player." Seira growled which immediately set off a famous Yoko/Seira fight. Koharu turned to Kanako and offered a grin.  
  
"I'm so glad we get our daily dose of comedic violence during practice." She said.  
  
"It does take the mind off the muscles that are screaming in pain." Kanako quipped.  
  
"As long as it doesn't interfere with their playing." The cold Izumi finally added to the conversation. The other girls turned to look at her in slight surprise but before even Ryo could state the ever normal "Izumi- san?" Nene blew her whistle ten times louder than normal causing the girls to all wince.  
  
"We'll start with fielding!" The manager called, smiling innocently as the girls got up groaning. As per usual the coach was shaken out of his drunken stupor to hit the balls to the girls. He was the same as ever, unshaven, unkempt and hung-over. The girls, far from being out of practice looked to be in tip top shape- minus the running of course.  
  
Practice continued as per normal, although, none of the girls noticed the strange man lurking behind a nearby tree, his eyes never leaving that of Ryo. He had heard of this Kisaragi girls team, then again who hadn't? They were famed to be one of the best teams in the league. and if that wasn't enough for the media they had to be of the female gender. He also knew once he read the pitcher's name in the papers that he had to come and see her for himself - to prove that it wasn't just a strange dream. To prove that Hayakawa lived on through his daughter - and it looked like a 20 year old debt to be repaid finally could be. He smiled maliciously before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking off just as the whistle ending practice blew. 


End file.
